Let's Get Ready for Kindergarten!

Summer break is over and it’s back to school time. For some 5, 6, & 7 year olds it’s time to Get Ready for Kindergarten & First Grade! Whether your little one is starting this year or next, as a parent, you need to make sure they are ready. With the help of two great books co-authored by Stacey Kannenberg of Cedar Valley Publishing, Let’s Get Ready for Kindergarten! and Let’s Get Ready for First Grade! your little one can develop all of the skills they will need to start that first day of Kindergarten or First Grade!

Let’s Get Ready for Kindergarten! and Let’s Get Ready for First Grade! are parent-loving, award-winning, state-approved books that are used inside homes and schools across the nation. They have sold over 60,000 copies and are used in over 400 school districts, libraries, head start programs, daycare and early learning centers. Parents and kids love them because they are not just storybooks or workbooks, they are books meant to be read over and over, that cover the curriculum for Kindergarten and First Grade.

We had the pleasure of reviewing Let’s Get Ready For Kindergarten! in an English version and in a Spanish/English version, plus Let’s Get Ready for First Grade!. Since our Blogger Mommy Jennifer’s daughter “G” is about to turn 5 years old and will be starting Kindergarten next year, we thought she would be the perfect person to review these two books for us. You will also hear from a guest reviewer, my older daughter Jessie, who is a 2nd grade teacher in Southeast Arizona. She will give us a review from a teacher’s point of view.

Jennifer and daughter “G’s” thoughts…

Let's Get Ready For Kindergarten! is a great book if you have a child who is getting ready for pre-k or kindergarten. This book is fun, brightly designed with colorful reusable dry erase pages. The book starts off with meeting a classroom called the “Cedar Valley Kids" taught by a teacher named Mrs. Good. It covers numerous skills and subjects such as the alphabet, numbers, shapes, colors, knowing your own phone number and address and so much more.

My daughter "G" is 4-1/2 years old and absolutely loves this book. She especially likes the dry erase pages and how she can practice over and over again. She also likes how Mrs. Good is giving tips at the bottom of every page with a different look.

I have purchased other pre-k workbooks for my daughter before but she was never really interested in them and became easily overwhelmed. I really like how this book has easy to understand activities and directions and also covers all of the early-learning basics. I also like that at the end of the book, there are tips for parents and caregivers on what they should be doing to help their children learn successfully.

Let's Get Ready For First Grade! is very similar to Let's Get Ready For Kindergarten!. There is a new teacher named Mrs. Best and of course a new set of subjects and skills. Both of these books come at a great price. They are very sturdy and durable and can be used over and over again or for other children. These are both great learning tools and I highly recommend them to any parent or caregiver who has a child getting ready for pre-k, kindergarten or who is in kindergarten now and preparing for the first grade.


Jessie’s thoughts, from a Teacher’s point of view…

Let's Get Ready for Kindergarten! (Spanish/English Edition) by Stacey Kannenberg is full of great information to help get your little ones ready for their first day of school. The inside covers are filled with great tips for parents on getting your child ready for learning, homework, and even skill levels. Of these, my favorite was the stages of writing. Many parents are concerned in the early years of school about where their child is in their development and where they think their child should be. But, Let's Get Ready for Kindergarten! lays it out great.


As you move into the book, you will find numbers, letters, words, and more for your child to identify. It can be a little overwhelming for you and your child to take all of this in at once; but as it says in the book, "This information will take time to understand. Keep reading it over and over again." This book was not meant to be completely learned by day one of kindergarten. It is a good start and meant to be referred to again and again throughout the year as practice. I would recommend taking on a page or two at a time. There is a lot of information that if done all in one sitting could stress out a 4 or 5 year old, which means stressing you out too. Also, I wouldn't recommend handing it to a child without guidance. Depending on your state's standards for kindergarten, this book could go beyond what your child is supposed to learn in kindergarten and even start to get him/her ready for first grade. Having both English and Spanish throughout the book does seem to clutter the pages. If this is a problem, see the English only version.

Having children who have come into my class speaking not a word of English, I would use this particular edition with children to help them in their English development skills, even outside of kindergarten. Everything in this book is in English and Spanish which would be great for the ELL (English language learner) student.

The book itself has thick laminated pages. Some pages call for writing directly in the book with a dry erase marker (great for using it over and over and with multiple children). It also has a strong binding to prevent pages from being easily torn out.

Do you want to get your little one ready for Kindergarten or First Grade?

Stacey Kannenberg & Cedar Valley Publishing is giving away 1 Free copy of “Let’s Get Ready for Kindergarten” (English only or English/Spanish) and 1 Free copy of “Let’s Get Ready for First Grade” to two of our lucky readers! She is also offering a 20% Discount to any of our readers who purchase any of the books in this series from the Cedar Valley Publishing website by entering the Coupon Code “CEDAR” (in all caps) in the coupon box at check out.

*~* This Giveaway is Open to All Entrants Globally!!! *~*

To WIN one of these great books here is what you need to do:

FIRST, you must complete the Mandatory Entry by commenting below to tell us which book you would like to Win. Be sure to include your email address in the comment so I can contact you if you win. To prevent bots from picking up your email address and sending you spam, please enter your email address as: "BloggerMommies at gmail dot com"

After completing the mandatory entry above, you can get additional entries by doing any or all of these tasks: (you must leave each entry in a separate comment in order for them to each count.)

~ Become a Follower this blog. (then post in the comment box to say you are now a follower of this blog.)

~ Follow us on Twitter. (then post your Twitter Name in the comment box)

~ Tweet about this Prize & Giveaway on Twitter, you must include the following in your tweet: Let’s Get Ready for Kindergarten & First Grade @BloggerMommies http://tinyurl.com/nmze8m (Copy & Paste as it is, to prevent errors in your tweet.) You may tweet this up to 3 times per day, no more often than every 4 hours. Be sure to post a comment here immediately after each time you tweet and include your Twitter ID in the comment box (I will reject any comments that say "tweeted yesterday, or earlier this morning", comments must be submitted within the hour of when tweet posted).

~ Become a Fan of BloggerMommies on Facebook. (then come back here and post your facebook name in the comment box.)

~ Become a Twitter Follower of @StaceyKann (then come back here and comment that you now follow @StaceyKann, include your twitter ID also.)

~ Link to Us: Grab our 'Button' in the right-hand column and post it somewhere on your blog or website. Then copy the exact page address from your browser window and post that in the comment box.

~ Subscribe to our Posts or Comment feeds. (Then comment about that too)

If you do not see the Comment Box, click on the 'comments' link below.
*NOTE: Your comments will not immediately appear because they have to be verified & approved first.

This Giveaway will end on Wednesday, September 9th, 2009 at 12:01pm (Mountain Time). Two random comments (one for each book) will be chosen at that time. The winners will be contacted by email and will have 48 hours to reply with their name and shipping address. If a response is not received within 48 hours that winner will forfeit the prize and a new winner will be selected. Sorry, no exceptions. [04285]

Good Luck to Everyone!
Be sure to take alook at our other Reviews, you could win more great stuff too!

WE HAVE TWO WINNERS!!
Details will be posted on our Winners Page once the winner replies to their confirmation email.

OnTray Makes Shopping with Kids Fun

Necessity is the mother of invention. And that is exactly how Laura Hamrick, a stay-at-home mother of three boys, came up with the idea for OnTray.

The OnTray is a small tray that easily snaps onto the shopping cart handle to hold snacks, toys, coupons, and lots of other necessities while shopping. It comes with it's own lid and is so compact you can easily keep healthy snacks readily available in your purse or diaper bag.

The OnTray is made right here in the USA, it is BPA Free and comes in four translucent pastel colors: green, pink, yellow & blue. OnTray also proudly donates a percentage of their sales to 'Feeding America'.

To purchase an OnTray before your next shopping trip just visit their website at http://www.OnTray2go.com, call them at 1-888-208-9240, or search their growing list of retailers to find a store near you.

Our mommies had the pleasure of taking two of the OnTrays out for a 'test-drive', here is what they found.


Anna L, mother of two year old "A"...

When I first heard about the OnTray I really wanted to try it out with my 2 year old daughter "A", who likes to have snacks while shopping. It is so easy to use. I really like how it clips onto the cart with ease and comes off the same way! It was very sturdy on the cart and did not tip or spill the contents. It even has a lid that slides under the tray while the child is using it. It is dishwasher and microwave safe, and I love that because then I can use it for many different things. And since it's so compact it even fits right in to my purse!

I told a friend about the OnTray and now she wants one! My Grandma even said it was a great thing and she wants me to bring the OnTray over when she babysits "A". At a price of just $7.00, I definitely have to get another one!

The OnTray is really a great way to keep your child entertained while shopping at the store! "A" had a lot better time in the store with the OnTray (as you can see in the picture here). When she would finish with what was in the tray, she would point to it and ask for more! I really think parents should get at least one OnTray to help keep their child occupied while shopping! I really like the OnTray and I think they would even make great gifts!


Katy, mother of an 18 month old and a 4 month old...

At first glance I thought the OnTray was going to be rather silly and that my 18 month old "K" wasn't going to be much interested it using it. However, after taking "K" and the OnTray on a trip to the grocery store, I quickly changed my mind.

The instructions for putting the OnTray on to the cart were very easy and straight forward. It took only seconds to attach it and place the lid underneath. I started the shopping trip out by giving "K" some Cheerios & animal crackers then moved on to grapes. She had a healthy snack and was happier then a clam, and I got my shopping done without a fuss. I don't always have to give her snacks when shopping, as this tray will be great for holding her small toys too.

The OnTray is very sturdy and performed just as it was suppose to. I also like that it is microwavable and I can use it for multiple purposes. I now keep my OnTray with my grocery list so that I will never forget to bring it with me. It's an inexpensive must-have for impatient kiddo's like mine!

I think the OnTray will easily sell itself. As we walk around the store I receive so many comments from store employees and other shoppers. They could see how well behaved my daughter was being, not grabbing things off the shelves or trying to open packages in my cart and they wanted to know where they could get one.

Want to Win an OnTray of your own?

Laura Hamrick, creator of OnTray has generously offered to give an OnTray to one of our readers! Here is what you need to do to enter to Win a Free OnTray:
(this giveaway is limited to within the US)

**Follow these simple instructions to Win this Great Prize!**

- You must fulfill the mandatory entry FIRST! I cannot accept/post any comments until after the Mandatory entry has been completed.

-You must leave each entry in a separate comment in order for them to all count.

-You must leave an email address in your first comment, otherwise I cannot contact you if you win, and what a shame that would be!

*~* Mandatory Entry *~*

Click here to Visit OnTray's website to see all of the many uses for this cool product. Then come back here and post a comment telling me what is your favorite feature of the OnTray and which color you would like if you Win. Also include your email address with your comment. Please enter your email address like this: bloggermommies at gmail dot com, (this method will keep bots from picking up your email address and sending you spam.)


After completing the Mandatory entry above...you can do any/all of the following for additional entries:

>> Become a Follower this blog. (then post in the comment box to say you are now a follower of this blog.

>> Follow us on Twitter. (then post your Twitter Name in the comment box)

>> Tweet about the OnTray on Twitter, you must include the following in your tweet: OnTray makes shopping with your kids Fun! Win one @BloggerMommies http://tinyurl.com/mqwzo9 (Copy & Paste as it is, to prevent errors in your tweet.) You may tweet this up to 3 times per day, no more often then every 4 hours. Be sure to post a comment here immediately after each time you tweet and include your Twitter ID in the comment box (I will reject any comments that say "tweeted yesterday, or earlier this morning", comments must be submitted within the hour of when tweet posted).

>> Become a Fan on Facebook. (then come back here and post your facebook name in the comment box.)

>> Post a comment on our Facebook wall telling everyone why you want to Win the OnTray. Include this link in your post http://tinyurl.com/mqwzo9 (then come back here to post a comment telling us that you wrote on our wall.)

>> Become a Twitter Follower of @OnTray2Go (then come back here and comment that you now follow @OnTray2Go, include your twitter ID also.)

>> Link to Us: Grab our 'Button' in the right-hand column and post it somewhere on your blog or website. Then copy the exact page address from your browser window and post that in the comment box.

>> Subscribe to our Posts or Comment feeds. (then comment about that)

If you do not see the Comment Box, click on the 'comments' link below.
*NOTE: Your comments will not immediately appear because they have to be verified & approved first.

This Giveaway will end on Monday, August 31, 2009 at 12:01pm (Mountain Time). A random comment will be chosen at that time. The winner will be contacted by email and will have 48 hours to reply with their name and shipping address. If a response is not received within 48 hours that winner will forfeit the prize and a new winner will be selected. Sorry, no exceptions.

Good Luck to Everyone!

Be sure to look at our other Reviews, you could win more great stuff too!

WE HAVE A WINNER!!
Details will be posted on our Winners Page once the winner replies to their confirmation email.

[2001-5050]

Moby Wrap is the Favorite Carrier of our Mommies

Imagine holding your baby while he falls asleep, putting away laundry and talking on the telephone...all at the same time. It may sound impossible, but it's not when you are wearing your baby in a Moby Wrap!

The Moby Wrap is a hands free infant carrier that doesn't put strain on your back and neck. It is a long piece of tightly-woven 100% cotton fabric that is so soft and comfortable to wear. The special method of wrapping holds your baby close to you while it spreads the weight of baby evenly across your entire back so you can comfortably carry your baby from preemie to 35lbs.


Of our five blogger mommies, only one of us doesn't yet have a Moby Wrap, (but she'll have one by the time her baby is born in January). Several of us own more than one Moby each, so that should tell you how much we Love the Moby Wrap?


Whitney's thoughts on the Moby Wrap:

I work with my mother at the baby store and I'm fortunate that I get to bring my babies to work with me. While at work I need to have my hands and arms free to run the cash register, inventory products, and assist customers. That can be difficult with an 8 month old. It's a must for me to 'wear' my son during the day so I can get my work done.

Working in a baby store gave me the opportunity to try a variety of slings, front carriers, and wraps. Before I began using the Moby Wrap I was always uncomfortable, hurting after less than an hour of wearing other types of front carriers and my son was just not happy down in a sling.

The first time I tried the Moby Wrap I was afraid I wouldn't be able to use it alone. However after about the third time, I had it down. I am so comfortable in the Moby Wrap I feel as if I could carry my son all day. The weight is distributed evenly across my back so no more back and neck pain.


The best part is that my son loves it so much, he gets excited just watching me put it on. His favorite position is the Joey Hold position, where he faces out. He loves to watch everything going on. When it is time for a nap, I just turn him around to the Hug Hold position and he drifts off to sleep while I work. I have found that he also sleeps a lot longer while wrapped in the Moby, next to me as compared to lying in his bed for a nap.

My only complaint is that sometimes while wearing the Moby Wrap I feel warmer than usual, it is usually when my son is asleep, or if I am outside, but in 90 degree weather there is no getting around being hot.

All in all, the Moby Wrap has made life much easier for me. I feel closer to my son, as I am sure he loves riding around with momma all day.


Jennifer had this to say about the Moby Wrap:

This is by far the best "carrier" I have ever come across. When I first took it home and opened it, I was a bit overwhelmed with all of the fabric, I had no idea what to do. But after reading the book that came with it and the easy to follow instructions, and practicing a couple of times in front of the mirror, I felt like a pro.

I prefer the Moby Wrap over other carriers because it is so versatile. I can carry my daughter in so many positions which makes it easy to do different things like shopping, housework or even nursing. I also love the fact that I feel like I am wearing a piece if clothing rather than a a carrier or sling. The fabric is so soft and breathable. It is comfortable and does not hurt my back or shoulders because the weight is distributed evenly across my body.

I also love that it flatters my figure and does not bunch up on my back. Most of all I love how close my daughter is to me when she is in it. I feel it is priced right for the quality of product you are getting. I definitely recommend the Moby Wrap to any new mother, and I have given the Moby Wrap to friends having new babies.


My (Anna D) thoughts on the Moby Wrap:

My grandbabies come to work with us, so my daughter and I take turns 'wearing' my grandson throughout the day. I have Osteoarthritis in my upper back so I can only carry my grandson in my arms for about 10 minutes before my back begins to burn with pain. If it weren't for the Moby Wrap, it would be nearly impossible for me to carry my grandson. Because the Moby Wrap is so soft, flexible and disperses the weight across my entire back instead of just the upper back, I have been able 'wear' him for very long periods of time. The longest has been 1 hour and 45 minutes, and then he needed to get out for a diaper change.

When he is fighting a nap, one of us will just put him in the Moby Wrap in the Hug Hold position and he will quickly fall asleep from our movements as we go about our work. Since discovering the Moby Wrap I have become a strong advocate for 'baby-wearing'. I wish the Moby Wrap was around when my kids were babies. I really enjoy wearing my grandson and I highly recommend it for other grandma's too.

I know many people look at the wrapping and think, "oh, I couldn't figure that out". But it is really easy. I suggest that you tape the instructions to a mirror and just play with it. After you have put the wrap on a few times you wont even the instructions or the mirror.

Want to Win a Moby Wrap of your own?

The wonderful folks at Moby Wrap are generously giving an Original Moby Wrap to one of our Lucky Readers! Here is what you need to do to enter to Win a Free Moby Wrap:
(this giveaway is limited to within the US)

YOU MUST DO STEP #1 FIRST, Then do the other steps for ADDITIONAL Entries.

1.) Visit Moby Wrap's website to see all of their beautiful Moby products. (Then come back here and post a comment telling everyone what color Orignal Moby Wrap you want to Win. You must include your email address with your comment so I can contact you if you win. To prevent robots from picking up your email address, and sending you spam, enter your email address like this: bloggermommies at gmail dot com, I will hand type your email address to notify you if you are a winner.

For additional entries complete any or all of the following tasks:

2.) Follow this blog. (then post comment box to say you are now a follower. (Seems that Blogger is having some issues, so if the Followers list is not visible, try clicking on the sign-in link in the upper right corner of the page. )

3.) Follow us on Twitter. (then post your Twitter Name in the comment box)

4.) Tweet the following, exactly as it is here : Moby Wrap is My Favorite Carrier! WIN a FREE Moby Wrap! @BloggerMommies http://tinyurl.com/ldorny RT (Copy & Paste as it is here.) You may tweet this up to 3 times per day but not all at once (no more frequent then every 4 hours please), be sure to post a comment after each time you tweet and include your Twitter ID too.

5.) Become a Fan on Facebook. (then come back here and post your facebook name in the comment box.)

6.) Post a comment on our Facebook wall telling everyone about the Moby Wrap Giveaway and why you would like to win one. Include this link in your post http://tinyurl.com/ldorny (then come back here to post a comment telling us that you wrote on our wall.)

7.) Subscribe to our Post and/or Comments. (post that in the comment box too.)

8.) Link to Us: Grab our 'Button' in the right-hand column and post it somewhere on your blog or website. Then copy the exact page address from your browser window and post that in the comment box.


If you do not see the Comment Box, click on the 'comments' link below.
*NOTE: Your comments will not immediately appear because they have to be verified & approved first.

This Giveaway will end on Wednesday, August 19, 2009 at 5:01pm. A random comment will be chosen at that time. The winner will be contacted by email and will have 48 hours to reply with their name and shipping address. If a response is not received within 48 hours that winner will forfeit the prize and a new winner will be selected. Sorry, no exceptions.

Good Luck to Everyone!
Be sure to look at our other Reviews, you could win more great stuff too!

WE HAVE A WINNER!!
Details will be posted on our Winners Page once the winner replies to their confirmation email.

Pending Reviews...

We are currently working on the following reviews:

Sippy Straw Cleaners

Baby Nappy Balm & Dog Ear Cleaner by Ecostore USA

RKS Real Kid Shades


Once we receive a product for testing we will post it here in our Pending Reviews list. After our mommies have given me their written reviews and a thumbs up I will begin preparing the review for posting. If our mommies give me a thumbs down, then that product will be removed from this list and we will not post a review/giveaway as we do not wish to recommend that product to other moms.

Look for these reviews and more very soon! Subscribe to our blog so that you will be notified when these reviews are posted!

No More Chilly Baths

Does your baby hate bath time because the she gets chilled no matter how much warm water you pour over her? Does she cry and make you feel guilty. Well you can say good-bye to that unpleasant experience with the 'Bath Luve'. It's a bath blanket that you dip in to the baby's warm bath water then drape it over the baby. The unique animal shapes fully cover baby's body and shoulders to keep her warm & happy throughout the entire bath. They also have a 'Bath Luve Buddy' that is a cute sponge that does triple duty as a wash cloth and hand puppet too. The 'Bath Luve Buddy' is great for adding warm bath water to the 'Bath Luve'.


I immediately fell in love with the 'Bath Luve' and 'Bath Luve Buddy', and couldn't wait to present them to our BloggerMommies. I sure wish these were around when my kids were babies!

Here is what Jennifer and Baby "B" thought of the Bath Luve...

I absolutely love this product! Before using the 'Bath Luve', I seriously dreaded bath time. I felt like I was getting ready to torture my baby. She would scream, shiver and her little chin would quiver, it was awful. It was always a race to get the bath over with, and that would sometimes mean that she would be left with a soapy residue so I would end up wrapping her in a towel and finishing with a sponge bath.

But now, "B" loves her bath time. She is more comfortable and no longer cries. Bath time actually lasts way longer now because she stays warm. I really like how the 'Bath Luve' leaves her arms and legs free for splashing and playing, which is a pleasant change from before. You can see from this picture how happy she is in her bath.

With the addition of the 'Bath Luve Buddy', I was able to keep "B" warm by squeezing the Buddy over the 'Bath Luve' blanket, rather then removing the blanket to dip it in the warm bath water again. Plus, using the 'Bath Luve Buddy' as a hand puppet, I was able to keep "B" happy and entertained.

The 'Bath Luve' is 100% cotton, very soft to the touch, not hard or scratchy at all. It is very durable too. I have laundered it several times so far and it has retained it's color and shape very well, it still looks like new. "B" and I love the playful design. They are all so adorable and priced just right at $6 to $10, I think we are going to have to get one of each design. The 'Bath Luve' is also great for older babies too because you can also place it over their back and shoulders while they are in the sitting position, almost like a cape.

I would recommend this product to any new parent and only wish they had these when my other children were babies.

Which Bath Luve do You want to WIN?

Here's how you Enter: (this giveaway is limited to within the US)

1.) Visit Bath Luve's website to see all of their wonderful baby bath products. (Then come back here and post which Bath Luve product you would want if you Won. You must include your email address with your comment so I can contact you if you win. To prevent robots from picking up your email address, and sending you spam, enter your email address like this: bloggermommies at gmail dot com, I will hand type your email address to notify you if you are a winner.

For additional entries complete any or all of the following tasks:

2.) Follow this blog. (then post your profile name in the comment box and say that you are now a follower. If your email address is not visible in your profile, you will need to include it in your comment so that we can contact you if you are the winner).

3.) Follow us on Twitter. (then come back here and post in the comment box that you are following us now)

4.) Tweet the following, exactly as it is here : No More Chilly Baths for Baby! FREE Bath Luve Giveaway! @BloggerMommies http://tinyurl.com/mbwdn8 RT (Copy & Paste as it is here. You may tweet this up to 3 times per day but not all at once, come back to post a comment after each time you tweet and include your Twitter ID.)

5.) Become a Fan on Facebook. (then come back here and post your facebook name in the comment box.)

6.) Post a comment on our Facebook wall telling everyone about the Bath Luve Giveaway and why you would like to win one. Include this link in your post http://tinyurl.com/mbwdn8 (then come back here to post a comment telling us that you wrote on our wall.)

7.) Subscribe to our Post and/or Comments. (post that in the comment box)

8.) Link to Us: Grab our 'Button' in the right-hand column and post it somewhere on your blog or website. Then copy the exact page address from your browser window and post that in the comment box.


Be sure to come back to this page after each task above to post it in the comment box. Each task should be posted in a separate comment because you get one entry for each comment. If you do not see the Comment Box, click on the 'comments' link below.
*NOTE: Your comments will not appear right away because we verify that each task has been accomplished before posting the comments.


This Giveaway will end on Tuesday, August 18, 2009 at 4:01pm. A random comment will be chosen at that time. The winner will be contacted by email and will have 48 hours to reply with their name and shipping address. If a response is not received within 48 hours that winner will forfeit the prize and a new winner will be selected. Sorry, no exceptions.

Good Luck to Everyone!
Be sure to look at our other Reviews, you could win more great stuff too!

WE HAVE A WINNER!!
Details will be posted on our Winners Page once the winner replies to their confirmation email.

Our Sponsors

Please support these companies that have so graciously provided us with products to test, review Giveaway to our readers. (Their free products did not influence our reviews, as products we tested that produced negative results were not included in our review posts nor are they included here, because we only recommend great products to our readers.)









Between Me & You Keepsake Journals